Title: Towards a framework for reliability and safety analysis of complex space missions

Authors: John W. Evans; Frank Groen; Lui Wang; Shira Okon; Rebekah Austin; Arthur F. Witulski; Nagabhushan Mahadevan; Steven L. Cornford; Martin S. Feather; Nancy Lindsey

Addresses: NASA, 300 E St SW, Washington, DC, 20546, USA ' NASA, 300 E St SW, Washington, DC, 20546, USA ' Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, 77058, USA ' Tietronix Software Inc., Houston, TX, 77058, USA ' Vanderbilt University, 2201 West End Ave, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA ' Vanderbilt University, 2201 West End Ave, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA ' Vanderbilt University, 2201 West End Ave, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA ' Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA ' Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA ' Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, 20771, USA

Abstract: Long duration and complex mission scenarios are characteristics of NASA's human exploration of Mars, and will provide unprecedented challenges. Systems reliability and safety will become increasingly demanding and management of uncertainty will be increasingly important. NASA's current pioneering strategy recognises and relies upon assurance of crew and asset safety. In this regard, flexibility to develop and innovate in the emergence of new design environments and methodologies, encompassing modelling of complex systems, is essential to meet the challenges.

Keywords: space missions; reliability; safety; assurance cases; uncertainty; complexity; objectives; model-based systems engineering; model-based mission assurance; Bayesian methods.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHFMS.2018.093188

International Journal of Human Factors Modelling and Simulation, 2018 Vol.6 No.2/3, pp.203 - 227

Received: 26 Sep 2017
Accepted: 15 Jan 2018
Published online: 13 Jul 2018 *

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